Zitatform

Giebel, Marek & Alexander Lammers (2025): The Impact of a New Workplace Technology on Employees. In: Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 87, H. 5, S. 1003-1024. DOI:10.1111/obes.12674

Abstract

"How does the implementation of a new technology affect workers? Using detailed worker-level data for Germany, we analyse the impact of new technologies on non-monetary working conditions such as overtime, training and perceived labor intensity. We show that the strongest effects arise in the first year of their implementation. These effects diminish after the introduction period. We further provide evidence that the impact of technology adoption varies across diverse occupational and industrial contexts. Workers in occupations with a higher task substitution potential show stronger increases in overtime, training measures and labor intensity. Analyzing industry characteristics, we find that employees exposed to a new technology react more strongly in industries with higher business dynamics in terms of organisational capital and R&D investment. Extending these considerations to information and communication technology (ICT) usage, we show that new technologies exert stronger effects in industries with high investment in ICT equipment or low investment in software." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Giering, Oliver & Stefan Kirchner (2025): Artificial intelligence and autonomy at work: empirical insights from Germany. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 59. DOI:10.1186/s12651-025-00401-5

Abstract

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is a prominent topic regarding the digitalisation of work and its diffusion is expected to radically change job quality. Overall, there exists a large discrepancy between discursive expectations and quantitative empirical evidence. In this article, we use a novel module from the German Socio-Economic Panel to examine the overall prevalence of AI at work, the determinants that increase the likelihood of AI use, and its association with autonomy. The results show that 38% of German workers use AI, and AI use is associated with the use of specific digital technologies. Workers in high-level, non-routine occupations are more likely to use AI, particularly in comparison to manual workers. Moreover, the association between AI and autonomy is merely superficial and cannot be properly evaluated without considering workplace preconditions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Giuliani, Giovanni Amerigo & Rebecca Paraciani (2025): Contextualizing inequalities in the gig economy: evidence from online cleaning platforms in five European cities. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1108/ijssp-12-2024-0619

Abstract

"Purpose: This paper explores the impact of national contexts on the profile of workers in the gig economy, with a specific focus on online cleaning platforms. The study aims to understand how national contexts influence the gender and ethnic composition of workers on domestic cleaning platforms, examining the intersectional effects of gender and ethnicity in platform-based work. Design/methodology/approach: Focusing on the case of the Yoopies platform operating in five Western European cities – Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome and Stockholm – this exploratory research is based on an original dataset that combines platform-based data directly collected from Yoopies with national-level data provided by Eurostat. Hypotheses were tested using simple correlation analysis to assess cross-country differences. Findings: The study shows that national contexts play an important role in shaping the gender and ethnic composition of workers on online cleaning platforms. Specifically, it identifies how structural features of the offline labor market influence the gendering and racialization of these platforms, highlighting variations across countries. The research also finds evidence of intersectional effects, where gender and ethnicity intersect to shape the profile of platform workers. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the growing literature on domestic work in the digital platform economy by providing a comparative perspective on cross-country differences in the composition of the platform workforce. It highlights the importance of national offline labor market characteristics in contributing to shaping platform-mediated work and provides new insights into the intersectionality of gender, ethnicity, and work in the gig economy. The findings contribute to both platform economy research and labor market studies, offering implications for policy and future research on the dynamics of digital work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

Zitatform

Giuntella, Osea, Johannes Konig & Luca Stella (2025): Artificial intelligence and the wellbeing of workers. In: Scientific Reports, Jg. 15, H. 1. DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98241-3

Abstract

"This study explores the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and workers’ well-being and healthusing longitudinal survey data from Germany (2000–2020). Using a measure of occupational exposure to AI, we explore an event study design and a difference-in-differences approach to compare AI-exposed and non-exposed workers. Before AI became widely available, there is no evidence of differential pre­trends in workers’ well-being and health. We findno evidence of a sizeable negative impact of AI on workers’ well-being and mental health. If anything, there is evidence of an improvement in health status and health satisfaction, which may be explained by the decline in job physical intensity. Overall, our results are consistent with the lack of negative effects of AI on the labor markets." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Gmyrek, Pawel, Janine Berg, Karol Kamiński, Filip Konopczyński, Agnieszka Ładna, Balint Nafradi, Konrad Rosłaniec & Marek Troszyński (2025): Generative AI and jobs. A refined global index of occupational exposure. (ILO working paper / International Labour Organization 140), Geneva, 72 S. DOI:10.54394/hetp0387

Abstract

"This study updates the ILO’s 2023 Global Index of Occupational Exposure to Generative AI (GenAI), incorporating recent advances in the technology and increasing user familiarity with GenAI tools. Using a representative sample from the 29,753 tasks in the Polish occupational classification system and a survey of 1,640 people employed in each 1-digit ISCO-08 groups, we collect 52,558 data points regarding perceive potential of automation for 2,861 tasks. We then compare this input with a survey and several rounds of Delphi-style discussions among a smaller group of international experts. Based on this process, we create a repository of knowledge about task automation that goes beyond national specificities and use it to develop an AI assistant able to predict scores for tasks in the technical documentation of ISCO-08. Our 2025 scores are presented in a revised framework of four progressively increasing exposure gradients, with a new set of global estimates of employment shares exposed to GenAI. Clerical occupations continue to have the highest exposure levels. Additionally, some strongly digitized occupations have increased exposure, highlighting the expanding abilities of GenAI regarding specialized tasks in professional and technical roles. Globally, one in four workers are in an occupation with some GenAI exposure. 3.3% of global employment falls into the highest exposure category, albeit with significant differences between female (4.7%) and male employment (2.4%). These differences increase with countries’ income (9.6% female vs 3.5% male in Gradient 4in HICs), and so does the overall exposure (11% of total employment in LICs vs 34% in HICs). As most occupations consist of tasks that require human input, transformation of jobs is the most likely impact of GenAI. Linking our refined index with national micro data enables precise projections of such transformations, offering a foundation for social dialogue and targeted policy responses to manage the transition." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Gmyrek, Pawel, Christoph Lutz & Gemma Newlands (2025): A technological construction of society: Comparing GPT-4 and human respondents for occupational evaluation in the UK. In: BJIR, Jg. 63, H. 1, S. 180-208. DOI:10.1111/bjir.12840

Abstract

"Despite initial research about the biases and perceptions of large language models (LLMs), we lack evidence on how LLMs evaluate occupations, especially in comparison to human evaluators. In this paper, we present a systematic comparison of occupational evaluations by GPT-4 with those from an in-depth, high-quality and recent human respondents survey in the UK. Covering the full ISCO-08 occupational landscape, with 580 occupations and two distinct metrics (prestige and social value), our findings indicate that GPT-4 and human scores are highly correlated across all ISCO-08 major groups. At the same time, GPT-4 substantially under- or overestimates the occupational prestige and social value of many occupations, particularly for emerging digital and stigmatized or illicit occupations. Our analyses show both the potential and risk of using LLM-generated data for sociological and occupational research. We also discuss the policy implications of our findings for the integration of LLM tools into the world of work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Golboyz, Mark (2025): Governing the Digital Transition: The Moderating Effect of Unemployment Benefits on Technology‐Induced Employment Outcomes. In: Social Inclusion, Jg. 13. DOI:10.17645/si.10114

Abstract

"The digital transition shapes work in numerous ways. For instance, by affecting employment structures. To ensure that the digital transition results in better employment opportunities in terms of socio-economic status, labor markets have to be guided appropriately. The European Pillar of Social Rights can be the political framework to foster access to employment and tackle inequalities that result from the digital transition. Current research primarily examines scenarios of occupational upgrading and employment polarisation. In the empirical literature, there is no consensus on which of these developments prevail. Findings vary between countries and across different study periods. Accordingly, this article provides a theoretical explanation for the conditions under which occupational upgrading and employment polarization become more likely. Further, this article examines how the use of information and communication technology (ICT) capital in the production of goods and services affects the socio-economic status of individuals and, more importantly, whether unemployment benefits moderate this effect. Methodologically, the article uses multilevel maximum likelihood regression models with an empirical focus on 12 European countries and 19 industries. The analysis is based on data from the European Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), the European Union Level Analysis of Capital, Labour, Energy, Materials, and Service Inputs (EU-KLEMS) research project, and the Comparative Welfare Entitlements Project (CWEP). The results of the article indicate that generous unemployment benefits are associated with occupational upgrading. This implies that educational and vocational labor market policies need to be developed to prevent the under-skilled from being left behind and to enable these groups to benefit from the digital transition. Consequently, it is not only the extent to which work involves routine tasks or the skills of workers that determine how technological change affects employment, but also social rights shape employment through unemployment benefits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Greenan, Nathalie, Dario Guarascio & Jelena Reljic (2025): AI and the labour market: opening the black box. In: Eurasian business review, Jg. 15, H. 4, S. 925-951. DOI:10.1007/s40821-025-00324-8

Abstract

"This work aims at discussing some of the main (open) questions about the labour impact of AI technologies. First, we provide an in-depth literature review focusing on concepts and measurement approaches and distinguishing between up (invention and knowledge creation), mid (technological innovation and development) and downstream (adoption and diffusion) components of the AI value chain. Second, we summarise the six articles included in the Special Issue ‘AI and labor markets: opening the black box’, distinguishing between contributions focusing on AI exposure, occupations and skill demand; the relationship between AI and automation technologies and their impact on income distribution; and, finally, the effect on organisational structures, management practices, and power dynamics within workplaces. Our analysis emphasises that AI’s employment effects are neither predetermined nor uniform, but shaped by implementation contexts, organisational choices, and institutional frameworks. We find that heterogeneity matters at multiple levels—across countries, sectors, firms, and demographic groups—challenging deterministic narratives and highlighting the need for adaptive policy responses that recognise these asymmetries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Greenan, Nathalie & Silvia Napolitano (2025): Does the Technological Transformation of Firms Go Along With More Employee Control Over Working Time? Empirical Findings From an EU-Wide Combined Dataset. In: Review of Political Economy, Jg. 37, H. 2, S. 500-522. DOI:10.1080/09538259.2024.2445096

Abstract

"We investigate the links between the technological transformation of firms and employee control over working time. We conduct EU-wide analysis at the meso-level by relating information from the European Company Survey 2019 (Eurofound and Cedefop) with the Labour Force Survey ad hoc module 2019 (Eurostat). This dataset allows analysing the technological transformation of firms as a relationship between three types of investments (in R&D, digital technologies and learning capacity of the organisation) that spur innovation outputs. We then study the consequences of the technological transformation on the spread of unfavourable working time arrangements, distinguishing between individual and organisation-oriented arrangements. Our model considers the direct effects of investments in Digital technologies adoption and use and Learning capacity of the organisation and the mediating role of firms' innovation strategies. Results indicate that the Learning capacity of the organisation is directly associated with more individual-oriented working time flexibility, but entails higher organisation-oriented working time flexibility. The effect of Digital technologies adoption and use depends instead on firms' innovation strategy: product innovation leads to more employee control over working time, while marketing innovation has the opposite outcome. Process and organisational innovations yield mixed consequences buffering employees from organisation-oriented working time flexibility in more time-constrained work environments." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Griesbach, Kathleen (2025): Space and Inequality in Precarious Work: Thinking With and Beyond Platforms. In: Sociology Compass, Jg. 19, H. 3. DOI:10.1111/soc4.70026

Abstract

"Platform-based gig work illustrates a broader erosion of the spatial boundaries of work. While geographers have long theorized space as an integral part of capitalist work processes and social life, sociological research has often treated space as a backdrop for work processes rather than an active process shaping the social world, contemporary work, inequality, and resistance. However, important work in urban and rural sociology emphasizes the central role place plays in social life and inequality. This review synthesizes insights on space, place, and inequality and identifies key spatial continuities between platform labor and other forms of precarious work. I find common throughlines across disciplines: the intertwining of space, place, and social relations and the relevance of space and place for understanding inequality. Next, I relate spatial theories of capitalist development to contemporary precarious work. Finally, I suggest 3 promising avenues for incorporating space into research on contemporary work and inequality today: analyzing how existing inequalities intersect with the spatial features of new and enduring work structures; examining how contemporary work processes are reshaping rural and urban geographies; and identifying the spatial practices of contemporary organizing and resistance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Guarascio, Dario & Jelena Reljic (2025): AI and employment in Europe. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 247. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112183

Abstract

"This paper contributes to the growing research on AI's labor market impact by presenting novel evidence on the heterogeneous employment effects of AI across EU countries from 2012 to 2022. While concerns persist about AI's disruptive potential, our findings show that occupations more exposed to AI technologies experience stronger employment growth, all else being equal. However, these effects are not uniform across the EU. Positive employment outcomes are concentrated in Innovation Leaders (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden) and Strong Innovators (Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg), emphasizing the context-dependent nature of AI's impact. These findings reflect the uneven distribution of innovation capabilities, with a country's innovation system and ‘absorptive capacity’ playing a crucial role in fully harnessing AI's potential for employment (and economic) growth. Ultimately, this research challenges the notion of AI as universally beneficial or harmful, highlighting its asymmetric effects across countries and occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

Zitatform

Guarascio, Dario, Jelena Reljic & Roman Stöllinger (2025): Diverging paths: AI exposure and employment across European regions. In: Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Jg. 73, S. 11-24. DOI:10.1016/j.strueco.2024.12.010

Abstract

"This study explores exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and employment patterns in Europe. First, we provide a thorough mapping of European regions focusing on the structural factors—such as sectoral specialisation, R&D capacity, productivity and workforce skills—that may shape diffusion as well as economic and employment effects of AI. To capture these differences, we conduct a cluster analysis which group EU regions in four distinct clusters: high-tech service and capital centres, advanced manufacturing core, southern and eastern periphery. We then discuss potential employment implications of AI in these regions, arguing that while regions with strong innovation systems may experience employment gains as AI complements existing capabilities and production systems, others are likely to face structural barriers that could eventually exacerbate regional disparities in the EU, with peripheral areas losing further ground." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

Zitatform

Guarascio, Dario, Alessandro Piccirillo & Jelena Reljic (2025): Robots vs. Workers: Evidence From a Meta‐Analysis. In: Journal of Economic Surveys, Jg. 39, H. 5, S. 2254-2271. DOI:10.1111/joes.12699

Abstract

"This study conducts a meta-analysis to assess the effects of robotization on employment and wages, synthesizing the evidence from 33 studies (644 estimates) on employment and a subset of 19 studies (195 estimates) on wages. The results challenge the alarmist narrative about the risk of widespread technological unemployment, suggesting that the overall relationship between robotization and employment or wages is minimal. However, the effects are far from uniform, with adverse outcomes observed in specific contexts, such as the United States, manufacturing sectors, and middle-skilled occupations. The analysis also identifies a publication bias favoring negative wage effects, though correcting for this bias confirms the negligible impact of robotization." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Guo, Ya, Sizhan Cui, Zhuofei Lu & Senhu Wang (2025): Dependence and Precarity in the Gig Economy: A Longitudinal Analysis of Platform Work and Mental Distress. In: The British journal of sociology, Jg. 76, H. 5, S. 1169-1187. DOI:10.1111/1468-4446.70028

Abstract

"While there is a growing body of literature examining platform dependence and its implications for mental health, much of the research has focused on gig workers with small sample sizes. The lack of large-scale quantitative research, particularly using longitudinal representative data, limits a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic relationship between platform dependence and mental distress. This study uses nationally representative data from the UK and fixed effects models to explore the heterogeneity of gig work, specifically examining differences in mental distress between high-dependence workers (those solely engaged in gig work) and low-dependence workers (those also employed in other jobs). The findings reveal that high-dependence gig workers have greater mental distress compared to low-dependence and full-time workers, with their mental well-being similar to those with no paid work. Low-dependence gig workers have lower mental distress than those without paid work. Financial precarity and loneliness partly explain these differences, with the impact stronger for highly educated high-dependence workers and less educated low-dependence workers. These findings highlight the significance of recognizing the heterogeneity of gig work in addressing future well-being challenges in a post-pandemic economy, as well as broadening the scope of the latent deprivation model to encompass the unique dynamics of gig work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Hacker, Winfried (2025): Auswirkungen von KI auf die Nutzer: Erhalten und Fördern der menschlichen Intelligenz bei zunehmendem Einsatz künstlicher Intelligenz - Wozu? Wie? (baua: Fokus), Dortmund, 6 S. DOI:10.21934/baua:fokus20251218

Abstract

"Die Entwicklung der KI verändert die Anforderungen an die menschliche Intelligenz: Denkleistungen können überflüssig werden. Dadurch kann eine arbeitsbedingte Dequalifizierung der Arbeitenden entstehen, denen jedoch die Kontrolle und Korrektur der KI-Ergebnisse obliegt, wofür diese Denkleistungen benötigt werden. Auswege sind die "Zusammenarbeit" von KI und Mensch sowie insbesondere einfache Maßnahmen zum Erhalten der Denkfähigkeit im Arbeitsprozess, die dargestellt werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Hall, Anja & Ana Santiago Vela (2025): Arbeiten mit Künstlicher Intelligenz, aber auch mit Köpfchen. Anforderungen an Future Skills in der Erwerbsarbeit. In: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis H. 4, S. 21-25.

Abstract

"Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) verändert nicht nur, was wir arbeiten, sondern auch wie. Auf Basis der BIBB/BAuA-Erwerbstätigenbefragung 2024 zeigt der Beitrag die aktuelle Verbreitung von KI auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. KI wird vor allem in kognitiv-analytischen und interaktiven Nichtroutinetätigkeiten genutzt und geht mit Anforderungen an Future Skills wie Probleme lösen, Wissenslücken schließen, kreativ sein oder überzeugen einher. Damit rücken im Kontext von KI neben fachlichen Anforderungen auch überfachliche Kompetenzen stärker in den Fokus. Berufliche Handlungskompetenz ist daher weiterhin gezielt zu fördern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Hammermann, Andrea & Louisa Kürten (2025): Generative KI: Schritt halten durch gezielte Kompetenzentwicklung. (IW-Kurzberichte / Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln 2025,24), Köln, 3 S.

Abstract

"Der Einsatz von generativer Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) transformiert die Arbeitswelt in einem rasanten Tempo. Eine wichtige Säule zur Ausschöpfung der möglichen KI-Potenziale sind das Wissen und die Anwendungskompetenz von Beschäftigten. Weiterbildung und das Lernen am Arbeitsplatz gewinnen vor diesem Hintergrund an Bedeutung." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Hampole, Menaka, Dimitris Papanikolaou, Lawrence D. W. Schmidt & Bryan Seegmiller (2025): Artificial Intelligence and the Labor Market. (NBER working paper / National Bureau of Economic Research 33509), Cambridge, Mass, 58 S.

Abstract

"We leverage recent advances in NLP to construct measures of workers' task exposure to AI and machine learning technologies over the 2010 to 2023 period that vary across firms and time. Using a theoretical framework that allows for a labor-saving technology to affect worker productivity both directly and indirectly, we show that the impact on wage earnings and employment can be summarized by two statistics. First, labor demand decreases in the average exposure of workers' tasks to AI technologies; second, holding the average exposure constant, labor demand increases in the dispersion of task exposures to AI, as workers shift effort to tasks that are not displaced by AI. Exploiting exogenous variation in our measures based on pre-existing hiring practices across firms, we find empirical support for these predictions, together with a lower demand for skills affected by AI. Overall, we find muted effects of AI on employment due to offsetting effects: highly-exposed occupations experience relatively lower demand compared to less exposed occupations, but the resulting increase in firm productivity increases overall employment across all occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Hausman, Naomi, Oren Rigbi & Sarit Weisburd (2025): Generative AI's Impact on Student Achievement and Implications for Worker Productivity. (CESifo working paper 11843), München, 39 S.

Abstract

"Student use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education is reshaping learning and redefining the skills of future workers. Using student-course data from a top Israeli university, we examine the impact of generative AI tools on academic performance. Comparisons across more and less AI-compatible courses before and after ChatGPT's introduction show that AI availability raises grades, especially for lower-performing students, and compresses the grade distribution, eroding the signal value of grades for employers. Evidence suggests gains in AI-specific human capital but possible losses in traditional human capital, highlighting benefits and costs AI may impose on future workforce productivity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Herzberg-Druker, Efrat (2025): Occupational gender segregation: what can we learn from computer use trends? In: Social forces, S. 1-22. DOI:10.1093/sf/soaf180

Abstract

"This study posits to an intricate interrelation between changes in occupational gender segregation (OGS) and the rise in computer use in the workplace in the United States. I posit that two contrasting mechanisms underpin this relation. Firstly, computerization has contributed to a more balanced gender distribution in certain professions, previously dominated by men, due to a decrease in physical tasks in occupations, thereby reducing OGS. Conversely, in other occupations, heightened computer use has increased Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge requirements, thus restricting women’s integration and reproducing OGS.My empirical analysis, utilizing fixed-effects regression models, lagged models, ordinary least squares (OLS) models, and mediation analysis on a comprehensive dataset of the United States Census, American Community Survey, and Occupational Information Network data, confirms a significant association between computer use and OGS. The physical attributes of occupations and their required STEM knowledge components emerge as critical factors. These contradictory mechanisms—one involving reduced physical demands and the other increased required STEM knowledge—ultimately maintain a stable OGS level." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Heyer, Philipp, Kathrin Weis, Sabine Mohr & Wiebke Schmitz (2025): Alter(n) im Betrieb: Stereotype Altersbilder, Fachkräftemangel und digitale Transformation. (BIBB-Report 2025,05), Leverkusen: Verlag Barbara Budrich, 16 S.

Abstract

"Against the backdrop of demographic change, age-appropriate human resources policies are becoming increasingly important. Nevertheless, negative age stereotypes continue to prevail in many firms, hindering the recruitment and further training of older employees – and thus leaving existing skilled labor potential untapped. Based on current data from the establishment survey “BIBB Establishment Panel on Training andCompetence Development,” this BIBB Report analyzes stereotypical images of age in firms as well as company characteristics that promote the employment of older people. Particular attention is given to the role of digital technologies. The results show that the perceptions of older employees vary depending on the industry, firm size, and use of technology. A positive perception is associated with higher employment rates of older people. However, older employees are less strongly represented in firms with above-average use of digital technologies. Based on these findings, it is recommended to counteract age stereotypes, provide targeted further training for older employees, and actively involve them in digital work processes. An age-appropriate human resources policy not only strengthens the supply of skilled workers, but also diversity and, ultimately, the productivity of firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Humlum, Anders & Emilie Vestergaard (2025): Large Language Models, Small Labor Market Effects. (BFI Working Papers / University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics 2025,56), Chicago, 64 S. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.5219933

Abstract

"We examine the labor market effects of AI chatbots using two large-scale adoption surveys (late 2023 and 2024) covering 11 exposed occupations (25,000 workers, 7,000 workplaces), linked to matched employer-employee data in Denmark. AI chatbots are now widespread —most employers encourage their use, many deploy in-house models, andtraining initiatives are common. These firm-led investments boost adoption, narrow demographic gaps in take-up, enhance workplace utility, and create new job tasks. Yet, despite substantial investments, economic impacts remain minimal. Using difference-in-differences and employer policies as quasi-experimental variation, we estimate precise zeros: AI chatbots have had no significant impact on earnings or recorded hours in any occupation, with confidence intervals ruling out effects larger than 1%. Modest productivity gains (average time savings of 3%), combined with weak wage pass-through, help explain these limited labor market effects. Our findings challenge narratives of imminent labor market transformation due to Generative AI." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Högemann, Malte, Laura Hein, Jan-Oliver Britsche & Oliver Thomas (2025): Technostress and generative AI in the workplace: a qualitative analysis of young professionals. In: Frontiers in artificial intelligence, Jg. 8. DOI:10.3389/frai.2025.1728881

Abstract

"Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly diffusing into the workplace and is expected to substantially reshape roles, workflows, and skill requirements, particularly for young professionals as early adopters who are highly exposed to these tools. While GenAI is widely regarded as a means to increase productivity, its adoption may simultaneously introduce new challenges, including various forms of technostress. Drawing on 15 semi-structured interviews with young professionals in research and development (R&D), IT, finance, and marketing in organizations piloting or using GenAI, we conducted a structured qualitative content analysis guided by established technostress dimensions. Our findings indicate that classic technostress dimensions remain relevant but manifest differently across sectors and contexts. Moreover, additional GenAI-specific stressors emerged, such as regulatory and compliance ambiguity, data protection and copyright concerns, perceived dependency, potential skill degradation, doubts about the reliability and controllability of AI outputs, and a shift towards more monitoring and conceptual work. At the same time, participants reported techno-eustress in the form of efficiency gains, learning opportunities, and enhanced intrinsic motivation. Overall, the study extends existing technostress frameworks and underscores the importance of AI literacy, clear organizational governance, and supportive work design to mitigate negative technostress while enabling the productive use of GenAI." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Ide, Enrique & Eduard Talamas (2025): The Impact of AI on Global Knowledge Work. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20801), London, 34 S.

Abstract

"Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping offshoring and globalization by automating knowledge work and altering trade patterns. We analyze this transformation in a two-region world where firms structure work hierarchically to use knowledge efficiently: the most knowledgeable individuals specialize in problem-solving, while others perform routine work. Before AI, the Advanced Economy specializes in problem-solving services, while the Emerging Economy focuses on routine knowledge work. We model AI as a technology that converts compute into autonomous “AI agents,” which serve as perfect substitutes for humans with a given level of knowledge. Reflecting the concentration of AI infrastructure in advanced economies, we assume that all compute is located in the Advanced Economy. We show that basic AI reduces the Advanced Economy’s net exports of problem-solving services, potentially reversing pre-AI trade patterns. In contrast, sophisticated AI increases the Advanced Economy’s net exports of problem-solving services, reinforcing existing trade patterns. We also examine the effects of restricting AI autonomy, finding that a global restriction redistributes AI’s benefits toward lower-skilled workers, while a regional restriction - such as banning autonomous AI in the Emerging Economy - does little to benefit lower-skilled workers and harms the most knowledgeable individuals in that region. Our results underscore the need for a coordinated global approach to AI regulation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Jaccoud, Florencia (2025): Robots & AI exposure and wage inequality: a within occupation approach. In: Eurasian business review, Jg. 15, H. 4, S. 1035-1090. DOI:10.1007/s40821-025-00306-w

Abstract

"This paper examines the linkages between occupational exposure to recent automation technologies and inequality across 19 European countries. Using data from the European Union Structure of Earnings Survey (EU-SES), a fixed-effects model is employed to assess the association between occupational exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) and to industrial robots–two distinct forms of automation–and within-occupation wage inequality. The analysis reveals that occupations with higher exposure to robots tend to have lower wage inequality, particularly among workers in the lower half of the wage distribution. In contrast, occupations more exposed to AI exhibit greater wage dispersion, especially at the top of the wage distribution. We argue that this disparity arises from differences in how each technology complements individual worker abilities: robot-related tasks often complement routine physical activities, while AI-related tasks tend to amplify the productivity of high-skilled, cognitively intensive work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Jacobs, Arthur & Freddy Heylen (2025): Demographic change, secular stagnation, and inequality: automation as a blessing? In: Journal of demographic economics, Jg. 91, H. 4, S. 508-548. DOI:10.1017/dem.2024.10

Abstract

"We study whether the increased adoption of available automation technologies allows economies to avoid the negative effect of aging on per capita output. We develop a quantitative theory in which firms choose to which extent they automate in response to a declining workforce and rising old-age dependency. An important element in our model is the integration of two capital types: automation capital that acts as a substitute to human labor, and traditional capital that is a complement to labor. Empirically, our model's predictions largely match data regarding automation (robotization) density across OECD countries. Simulating the model, we find that aging-induced automation only partially compensates the negative growth effect of aging in the absence of technical progress in automation technology. One reason is that automated tasks are no perfect substitutes for non-automated tasks. A second reason is that automation raises the interest rate and thus inhibits positive behavioral reactions to aging (later retirement and investment in human capital). Moreover, increased automation generates a falling net labor share of income and rising welfare inequality. We evaluate alternative policy responses to cope with this inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Janssen, Simon, Christina Langer, Markus Nagler, Nicholas Rounding, Michael Stops & Simon Wiederhold (2025): Wie lässt sich die Nachfrage nach KI- und anderen Kompetenzen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt besser messen? (ROA external reports / Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt (Maastricht) 2025,10 ai:conomics policybrief), Maastricht, 6 S.

Abstract

"Eine umfangreiche Forschungsliteratur zeigt, dass der technologische Wandel erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Arbeitsmärkte hat, da moderne digitale Technologien die Nachfrage nach bestimmten Kompetenzen verändern. Zum einen können neue Technologien einige menschliche Tätigkeiten ersetzen. Zum anderen Seite können sie neue Tätigkeiten schaffen oder ergänzen (Acemoglu et al., 2015; Acemoglu & Restrepo, 2018, 2019, 2020). Mit der starken Verbreitung Künstlicher Intelligenz in den letzten Jahren gewinnen bestimmte Fragen in der öffentlichen Diskussion und der Forschung zunehmend an Bedeutung: Wächst die Arbeitsnachfrage nach KI-Kompetenzen auch auf dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt? Führt die steigende Nachfrage nach KI-Kompetenzen dazu, dass andere Kompetenzen – bei niedrig-, mittel- und hochqualifizierten Arbeitskräften – weniger gefragt sind? Ziel dieses Forschungsprojekts ist es, eine belastbare Datengrundlage zu schaffen, um solche Fragen in Zukunft fundierter beantworten zu können. Die Entwicklungen bei generativer Künstlicher Intelligenz, insbesondere von Tools wie ChatGPT, hat die Diskussion über die Auswirkungen von KI auf den Arbeitsmarkt sowohl in der Wissenschaft als auch in der öffentlichen Debatte und in der Politik deutlich verstärkt. Während Computer und Software die Arbeitswelt durch die präzisere und effizientere Ausführung routinemäßiger Aufgaben verändert haben, können moderne KI-Systeme nun komplexe, nichtroutinemäßige Aufgaben übernehmen, ohne auf detaillierte Anweisungen oder wiederholende Regeln angewiesen zu sein (Brynjolfsson et al., 2025). Infolgedessen sehen viele das produktive Potenzial dieser neuen Technologie optimistisch. Andere hingegen befürchten, dass KI die Arbeitsmärkte disruptiv verändern könnte." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Janssen, Simon, Christina Langer, Markus Nagler, Nicholas Rounding, Michael Stops & Simon Wiederhold (2025): How can we better measure the demand for AI and other skills on the labour market? (ROA external reports / Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt (Maastricht) 2025,10 ai:conomics policybrief), Maastricht, 5 S.

Abstract

"A large body of research literature shows that technological change has a significant impact on labour markets, as modern digital technologies are changing the demand for certain skills. On the one hand, new technologies can replace some human activities. On the other hand, they can create or complement new activities (Acemoglu et al., 2015; Acemoglu & Restrepo, 2018, 2019, 2020). With the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, certain questions are becoming increasingly important in public debate and research: Is the demand for AI skills also growing on the German labour market? Does the increasing demand for AI skills mean that other skills - among low, medium and highly qualified workers - are less in demand? The aim of this research project is to create a reliable data basis in order to be able to answer such questions in a more informed way in the future. Developments in generative AI, particularly tools such as ChatGPT, have significantly intensified the discussion about the impact of AI on the labour market, both in academia and in public debate and policy. While computers and software have transformed the world of work by performing routine tasks more precisely and efficiently, modern AI systems can now take on complex, non-routine tasks without relying on detailed instructions or repetitive rules (Brynjolfsson et al., 2025). As a result, many are optimistic about the productive potential of this new technology. Others, however, fear that AI could disrupt labour markets. In the course of the intensive scientific and public debate on AI, there is a growing body of literature that deals with the effects of AI on labour markets. These initially focus on specific occupations such as call centre workers (Brynjolfsson et al., 2025, Dijksman et al., 2024), consultants (Dell’ et al., 2023), writers or developers (Peng et al., 2023). However, a major challenge is to measure how the demand for and supply of skills has changed in the wake of the emergence of AI." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Janssen, Simon, Michael Stops, Sanne Steens, Pelin Özgül, Nicholas Rounding, Sander Dijksman, Raymond Montizaan, Mark Levels, Didier Fourage, Danique Eijkenboom, Evie Graus & Marie-Christine Fregin (2025): Artificial intelligence in the workplace: insights into the transformation of customer services. In: IAB-Forum H. 22.04.2025, 2025-04-22. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250422.01

Abstract

"How does the use of artificial intelligence in training affect employee productivity? These and other questions were investigated as part of the long-term research project “ai:conomics” using company data from various large European companies. Initial results suggest that AI can have a positive impact on employee productivity, especially for new employees." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Khabirpour, Neysan, Lorenzo Pelizzari, Jan Limbers, Markus Hoch, Philipp Kreuzer, Matteo Richiardi, Patryk Bronka & Costanza Pagnini (2025): Overlapping crises (re)shaping the future of regional labour markets [OVERLAP]. Main Report. Luxembourg: ESPON 2030, 101 S.

Abstract

"Europe’s labour market is entering a decade in which structural forces converge and pull unevenly on every region. First, the demographic change is steadily thinning the labour supply: by 2050, the EU’s labour force is set to decrease by 35 million people. (Secondly) This demographic transition comes at a time when Member States are increasing their efforts to achieve the decarbonization targets, and (thirdly) when they are ramping up investments to digitalise the economy. While the digital transition is accelerating demand for specialised skills faster than workers can acquire them, the green transition suggests both disruption and expansion. To deliver the REPowerEU targets, the Commission estimates that more than 3.5 million additional jobs will be needed by 2030. Explained very shortly, these interacting factors may amplify long-standing territorial disparities in age structure, industrial fabric and human-capital endowment. Understanding where labour will transform and where new demand will arise is therefore indispensable. It is precisely this spatial intelligence that the OVERLAP project supplies—by charting the possible employment trajectories of every NUTS-3 labour market – for the 2035 perspective - under a varied set of assumptions, driven by policy or shock. This is done within a scenario-driven exercise, covering ageing, green ambition and digital diffusion. In doing so, as a forward-looking exercise, the study equips policymakers with the granular evidence needed to anticipate potential shortages, target up- and reskilling investments, and steer and match transition funding to address local needs and the regions that need it most. The study starts from two overarching objectives: Compile a granular portrait of Europe’s regional labour markets by tracing demographic dynamics and their (possible) implications for employment trends, at NUTS-3 level, out to 2035. Gauge how major drivers—including population change and the twin digital-green transition—may reshape labour demand under a range of forward-looking (possible) scenarios, out to 2035. From these aims, flow the main guiding research questions: which territories and sectors are set to gain or lose employment as ageing, automation and decarbonisation unfold simultaneously? And what policy mixes can cushion vulnerable regions while helping them capture new growth niches? Addressing these questions across the ESPON space—i.e. all EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland—requires a geography-sensitive lens; hence results are mapped down to individual NUTS-3 regions. To deliver evidence at that resolution, the project combined a dual analytical architecture. Quantify and regionalise macro-trends: the top-down stream employs the DINOS dynamic input-output model (developed by PROGNOS) to translate demographic, technological and climate-policy shocks into sectoral employment and wage shifts, then regionalises these outputs to the full NUTS-3 grid. The macro-level modelling strategy begins with national economic aggregates, traces broad structural trends across industries, and subsequently disaggregates the resulting labour-market effects to individual regions. By working from the “whole economy” downward, this framework captures systemic interactions—such as supply-chain spill-overs—beyond the reach of purely regional models. Provide a micro-analytical perspective: in parallel, the bottom-up stream extends the SimPaths dynamic microsimulation platform—already validated for the United Kingdom as a baseline —to Greece, Hungary, Italy and, enriching the macro picture with individual life-course trajectories. This novel, regional, micro-analytical framework sheds additional light on the distributional impact of the ongoing economic and social transformations, going beyond the broad picture and simplified assumptions that had to be made in the top-down approach (macro-analyses). The dynamic framework integrates a defining feature in every simulated period: inputs from a static tax-benefit calculator (EURO-MOD), hence allowing to study to what extent tax and benefit systems can smooth out transitional dynamics. However, it is important to highlight from the onset, that this study should not be perceived as a crystal globe, as it does not cover all possible shocks or situations, but acts upon the accumulated knowledge, in order to provide some modelled scenarios that are aimed at informing and opening the forward-looking strategies, with a pre-emptive component." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Klaus, Dominik, Maddalena Lamura, Marcel Bilger & Barbara Haas (2025): Support and employment preferences in online platform work. A cluster analysis of German-speaking workers. In: International Journal of Social Welfare, Jg. 34, H. 1, S. e12659. DOI:10.1111/ijsw.12659

Abstract

"Online platform work is an emerging field of non-standard employment. Up to now, there has been little knowledge of the perspective of online platform workers on social protection and regulation. We provide quantitative data (n = 1727) on their needs for support and on their employment status preferences. Given the heterogeneity of German-speaking online platform workers, we have conducted a cluster analysis to group workers according to task length, hourly wage, working hours and experience on online platforms. Most of the respondents are solo-self-employed and hybrid workers. They prefer support instruments that improve their skills and income over those that aim to strengthen their rights. The majority of platform workers are in favour of working outside of platforms. The study also shows that despite the low dependence on platform income, the actual poverty risk is relatively high." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Klonek, Florian & Sharon Parker (2025): Does AI at Work Increase Stress? Text Mining Social Media About Human–AI Team Processes and AI Control. In: Journal of organizational behavior, S. 1-15. DOI:10.1002/job.70000

Abstract

"With rising use of artificial intelligence (AI) in organizations, alongside increasing mental health issues, we seek to understand how AI use affects human stress. Drawing on the automation–augmentation perspective, we propose that AI control over decision-making thwarts human autonomy and thus contributes to stress. Drawing on models of teamwork and augmentation, we expect that human–AI team processes (i.e., transition, action, and interpersonal processes) help people meet their goals and reduce stress. Finally, we argue that human–AI team processes provide an important social resource, which buffers the stress-enhancing role of AI control. To test our hypotheses, we analyzed over 2700 tweets. Using a trained large language model, validated against human ratings, we indexed key measures. Results confirm that high AI control was associated with increased stress, whereas human–AI team processes were associated with decreased stress. In support of the moderation hypothesis, two human–AI team processes (action and interpersonal) helped further reduce the stress-enhancing effect of AI control. We discuss implications for work design theory and the importance of regulating levels of AI control to protect workers' mental health." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Knappert, Lena, Boukje Cnossen & Renate Ortlieb (2025): Inequality Regimes in Coworking Spaces: How New Forms of Organising (Re)produce Inequalities. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 1, S. 43-63. DOI:10.1177/09500170241237188

Abstract

"Coworking is a rapidly growing worldwide phenomenon. While the coworking movement emphasizes equality and emancipation, there is little known about the extent to which coworking spaces as new forms of organizing live up to this ideal. This study examines inequality in coworking spaces in the Netherlands, employing Acker’s framework of inequality regimes. The findings highlight coworking-specific components of inequality regimes, in particular stereotyped assumptions regarding ‘ideal members’ that establish the bases of inequality, practices that produce inequality (e.g. through the commodification of community) and practices that perpetuate inequality (e.g. the denial of inequality). The study provides an update of Acker’s framework in the context of coworking and speaks, more broadly, to the growing body of literature on (in)equality in emerging organizational contexts." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Koch, Christian & Michael Stops (2025): KI Navigator #10: Wie KI dem Arbeitsmarkt hilft. In: Heise online, 2025-03-14.

Abstract

"Stellenanzeigen können viel über den Wandel des Arbeitsmarkts verraten. Künstliche Intelligenz hilft dabei, diese Daten zu interpretieren."

Zitatform

Kowalik, Zuzanna, Piotr Lewandowski, Tomasz Geodecki & Maciej Grodzicki (2025): Automation in shared service centres: Implications for skills and autonomy. In: The Economic and Labour Relations Review, Jg. 36, H. 2, S. 563-581. DOI:10.1017/elr.2025.10026

Abstract

"The offshoring-fueled growth of the Central and Eastern European business services sector gave rise to shared service centers (SSCs) – quasi-autonomous entities providing routine-intensive tasks for the central organization. The advent of technologies such as intelligent process automation, robotic process automation, and artificial intelligence jeopardises SSCs’ employment model, necessitating workers’ skills adaptation. The study challenges the deskilling hypothesis and reveals that automation in the Polish SSCs is conducive to upskilling and worker autonomy. Drawing on 31 in-depth interviews, we highlight the negotiated nature of automation processes shaped by interactions between headquarters, SSCs, and their workers. Workers actively participated in automation processes, eliminating the most mundane tasks. This resulted in upskilling, higher job satisfaction, and empowerment. Yet, this phenomenon heavily depends upon the fact that automation is triggered by labor shortages, which limit the expansion of SSCs. This situation encourages companies to leverage the specific expertise entrenched in their existing workforce. The study underscores the importance of fostering employee-driven automation and upskilling initiatives for overall job satisfaction and quality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Krzywdzinski, Martin, Daniel Schneiß & Andrea Sperling (2025): Between control and participation: The politics of algorithmic management. In: New Technology, Work and Employment, Jg. 40, H. 1, S. 60-80. DOI:10.1111/ntwe.12293

Abstract

"Understanding the role of human management is crucial for the debate over algorithmic management—to date limited to studies on the platform economy. This qualitative case study in logistics reconstructs the actor constellations (managers, engineers, data scientists and workers) and negotiation processes in different phases of algorithmic management. It offers two major contributions to the literature: (1) a process model distinguishing three phases: goal formation, data production and data analysis, which is used to analyse (2) the politics of algorithmic management in conventional workplaces, which differ significantly from platform companies. The article goes beyond surveillance to elucidate the role of the regulatory framework, various actors' knowledge contributions to the algorithmic management system, and the power relations resulting therefrom. While the managerial goals in the examined case were not oriented towards a surveillance regime, the outcome was nevertheless a centralisation of knowledge and disempowerment of workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Kudoh, Noritaka & Hiroaki Miyamoto (2025): Robots, AI, and unemployment. In: Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Jg. 174. DOI:10.1016/j.jedc.2025.105069

Abstract

"Do robots and artificial intelligence (AI) cause joblessness? We develop a dynamic general equilibrium model with search-matching frictions. In our model, robots substitute routine human tasks, and AI substitutes abstract human tasks. We find a cutoff level for the elasticity of substitution between routine labor input and robots, above which an increase in robot productivity leads to increased unemployment. We examine a scenario in which AI-driven automation of abstract tasks transforms high-skilled workers into unskilled ones. A substantial productivity gain through AI is required to offset the output loss associated with this labor displacement." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

Zitatform

Kuhlmann, Martin, Britta Matthes & Stefan Theuer (2025): Das Produktionsmodell der deutschen Automobilindustrie auf dem Prüfstand. Arbeitsstrukturen und Arbeitsanforderungen in Montagewerken im Wandel? (SOFI-Impulspapier), Göttingen, 6 S.

Abstract

"Das in den 1980er-Jahren etablierte Produktionsmodell der deutschen Automobilhersteller lässt sich beschreiben als innovations- und exportorientierte Produktion qualitativ hochwertiger Produkte auf Basis qualifizierter Arbeit, guter Bezahlung und hoher Beschäftigungssicherheit sowie starken gewerkschaftlichen Interessenvertretungen. Politische Vorgaben, wie die Umstellung auf die Produktion von Elektroautos, veränderte Wettbewerbsbedingungen sowie die weiter voranschreitende Digitalisierung haben dazu geführt, dass dieses Produktionsmodell derzeit auf dem Prüfstand steht. Getrieben durch aufkommende Zweifel an der technologischen Überlegenheit deutscher Automobilhersteller und Nachfrageschwächen beim Übergang auf Elektromobilität ist die Unsicherheit in der Branche gegenwärtig groß. In einem laufenden Forschungsprojekt untersuchen wir, inwiefern sich durch die Produktion von Elektroautos und die fortschreitende Digitalisierung Arbeitsstrukturen und Arbeitsanforderungen in den Endmontagewerken der deutschen Automobilhersteller verändert haben und ob sich arbeitsbezogen ein Wandel des deutschen Produktionsmodells abzeichnet." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Kuhn, Sarah & Holger Seibert (2025): Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt: Durch künstliche Intelligenz sind inzwischen auch viele Expertentätigkeiten ersetzbar. (IAB-Regional. Berichte und Analysen aus dem Regionalen Forschungsnetz. IAB Berlin-Brandenburg 01/2025), 34 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.REBB.2501

Abstract

"Durch neue digitale Technologien verändert sich der deutsche Arbeitsmarkt. Dies gilt besonders für das Ausmaß, in dem Berufe aktuell potenziell durch den Einsatz von Computern oder computergesteuerten Maschinen ersetzbar sind, dem so genannten Substituierbarkeitspotenzial. Es beschreibt, welcher Anteil an Tätigkeiten in einem Beruf schon heute durch den Einsatz moderner Technologien ersetzt werden könnte. Nach wie vor ist zwar das Substituierbarkeitspotenzial bei den Helfer*innen- und Fachkraftberufen am höchsten. Am stärksten gestiegen ist das Potenzial jedoch bei den Expert*innenberufen (u. a. durch generative Künstliche Intelligenz). Besonders bei den IT- und naturwissenschaftlichen Dienstleistungsberufen sind hohe Zuwachsraten zwischen 2019 und 2022 zu verzeichnen. Der vorliegende Beitrag fokussiert sich auf den Arbeitsmarkt in Brandenburg und Berlin. Wichtig zu betonen ist, dass es hier um Potenziale technischer Ersetzbarkeit geht. Ob und inwiefern die technischen Möglichkeiten auch tatsächlich umgesetzt werden, steht nicht fest. Es kann Gründe geben, die gegen eine tatsächliche Substituierung sprechen, beispielsweise weil eine Umstellung zu komplex wäre oder ethische Bedenken dem entgegenstehen. Unstrittig ist jedoch, dass auf der einen Seite einige Tätigkeiten durch die Digitalisierung wegfallen bzw. automatisiert werden, andererseits aber auch neue Tätigkeiten und Berufe entstehen. Daher kann ein hohes Substituierungspotenzial als Indikator für einen Wandel der Arbeitswelt gesehen werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Kuhn, Sarah & Holger Seibert (2025): Digitale Ersetzbarkeit im stationären Einzelhandel und im Onlinehandel. Gastbeitrag. In: ArbeitGestalten Beratungsgesellschaft mbH (Hrsg.) (2025): Kassensturz. Daten, Fakten und Erfahrungen aus der Arbeitswelt des Berliner Einzelhandels, S. 29-31, 2025-09-30.

Abstract

"Diese Analyse zeigt, dass nicht alle Beschäftigten im stationären Einzelhandel und im Onlinehandel gleichermaßen von der digitalen Transformation betroffen sind bzw. sein werden. Wichtig zu betonen ist, dass es hier um Potenziale technischer Ersetzbarkeit geht. Ob und inwiefern die technischen Möglichkeiten auch tatsächlich umgesetzt werden, hängt von verschiedenen Faktoren ab. Es kann Gründe geben, die gegen eine tatsächliche Substituierung sprechen, beispielsweise weil eine Umstellung zu komplex wäre oder ethische Bedenken dem entgegenstehen. Unstrittig ist jedoch, dass auf der einen Seite einige Tätigkeiten durch die Digitalisierung wegfallen bzw. automatisiert werden, andererseits aber auch neue Tätigkeiten und Berufe entstehen. Daher kann ein hohes Substituierungspotenzial als Indikator für einen Wandel der Arbeitswelt gesehen werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Kunze, Florian, Carolina Opitz & Ann Sophie Lauterbach (2025): Konstanzer KI-Studie 2025: Die Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz in der Arbeitswelt steigt, Ungleichheiten in der Wahrnehmung bleiben weiterhin bestehen. Ergebnisbericht Juli 2025. Konstanz: KOPS Universität Konstanz, 8 S.

Abstract

"Die Nutzung von KI in der Arbeitswelt hat innerhalb eines Jahres deutlich zugenommen – gleichzeitig bleiben erhebliche Unterschiede zwischen Berufsgruppen, Bildungsniveaus und Unternehmen bestehen. In der zweiten Welle der Konstanzer KI-Studie berichten 35?% der Befragten von KI-Nutzung im Arbeitsalltag, ein Anstieg um 11 Prozentpunkte gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Trotz dieses Wachstums bleibt die Unsicherheit hoch: Ein Drittel der Beschäftigten kann weiterhin nicht einschätzen, welche Folgen KI für die eigene Arbeit haben wird. Zugleich wird der gesellschaftliche Einfluss von Automatisierung deutlich bedrohlicher wahrgenommen als die persönliche Betroffenheit. Besonders stark ist der Nutzungszuwachs in wissensintensiven Berufen, während produktionsnahe Tätigkeiten kaum aufholen. Auch die Kluft zwischen Bildungsgruppen bleibt bestehen: Beschäftigte mit hohem Bildungsabschluss nutzen KI mehr als dreimal so häufig wie jene mit niedrigem Abschluss. Zwar steigt die Bereitschaft zur Weiterbildung in allen Gruppen, strukturelle Hürden scheinen jedoch eine Angleichung zu verhindern. Auf Ebene der Organisationen verlaufen die Entwicklungen deutlich langsamer als auf individueller Ebene. Vor allem große Unternehmen investieren zunehmend in Weiterbildung und Führungskommunikation, während kleinere Organisationen kaum Veränderungen zeigen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen deutlich, dass KI ihr Potenzial nicht gleichmäßig entfaltet, sondern bestehende strukturelle Ungleichheiten eher verstärkt. Nach wie vor besteht die reale Gefahr, dass sich bestimmte Beschäftigtengruppen zunehmend vom technologischen Fortschritt abkoppeln, weil ihnen der Zugang zu KI-Nutzung, Weiterbildungsangeboten und betrieblicher Unterstützung fehlt. Daraus ergibt sich ein klarer Handlungsauftrag an Wirtschaft, Politik und Bildungseinrichtungen, um Teilhabechancen gezielt zu fördern und einer wachsenden sozialen Spaltung frühzeitig entgegenzuwirken." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Kurz, D. Heinz, Strohmaier Rita & Knell Mark (2025): Technological Change: History, Theory and Measurement. A Brief Account. (JRC working papers series on labour, education and technology 2025,03), Sevilla, 66 S.

Abstract

"Technological change, an overwhelming fact in recent socioeconomic history, involves, as Joseph A. Schumpeter famously put it, “creative destruction” on a large scale: it gives rise to new goods, production methods, firms, organisations, and jobs, while rendering some received ones obsolete. Its impact extends beyond the economy and affects society, culture, politics, and the mind-set of people. While it allows solving certain problems, it causes new ones, inducing further technological change. Against this background, the paper attempts to provide a detailed, yet concise exploration of the historical evolution and measurement of technological change in economics. It touches upon various questions that have been raised since Adam Smith and by economic and social theorists after him until today living through several waves of new technologies. These questions include: (1) Which concepts and theories did the leading authors elaborate to describe and analyse the various forms of technological progress they observed? (2) Did they think that different forms of technological progress requested the elaboration of different concepts and theories – horses for courses, so to speak? (3) How do different forms of technological progress affect and are shaped by various strata and classes of society? Issues such as these have become particularly crucial in the context of the digitisation of the economy and the widespread use of AI. Finally, the paper explores the impact of emerging technologies on the established theoretical frameworks and empirical measurements of technological change, points to new measurements linked to the rise of these technologies, and evaluates their pros and cons vis-à-vis traditional approaches." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Küstermann, Leon (2025): Upgrading jobs for all: How welfare states shape differences in life satisfaction between the winners and losers of structural change. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 23, H. 4, S. 1895-1921. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwaf029

Abstract

"Structural economic change transforms occupational structures in a way that has benefited college-educated knowledge economy workers while creating risks for workers in routine and interpersonal service jobs. However, looking beyond economic outcomes, it is striking that differences in life satisfaction between these occupational groups in some European countries are much smaller than in others. To explain this pattern, I analyze data from the European Social Survey and the European Working Conditions Survey for twenty-five countries. I show that these life satisfaction differences are smaller in countries where jobs in “losing” occupations are designed similarly to jobs in “winning” occupations. Further, I demonstrate that both social investment and social protection reduce this life satisfaction gap by equalizing job satisfaction and job design between occupational groups. Hence, my results support the argument that welfare states achieve inclusive outcomes in the context of structural economic change through their interactions with workplaces." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"This report examines the potential for generative AI – tools that generate text, images, video or audio, such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Midjourney – to help SMEs address labour and skill needs. It presents evidence from a representative 2024 OECD survey of over 5 000 SMEs in Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom, on how SMEs use generative AI, how its use may be helping to address labour and skill needs, and how SMEs are preparing employees to use generative AI. The survey shows that generative AI is in use in 31% of SMEs. SMEs report that generative AI improves performance, helps compensate for skill gaps and labour shortages, and increases the need for highly-skilled workers. SMEs have concerns about copyright, legal and regulatory issues, though negative attitudes towards generative AI are rare. The findings highlight the promise of generative AI but also the need for structured policy support to close digital and skills gaps between SMEs and larger firms and to ensure that any gains from generative AI are broadly shared across the economy and the workforce." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Leitner, Sebastian & Stella Sophie Zilian (2025): Digitalisation of jobs and gender-age segregation in digital tasks: Cross-country evidence based on ESJS2 data. (WIIW working paper 269), Wien, 37 S.

Abstract

"This paper addresses the disproportional effects of digitalisation across age by investigating (i) within-job age segregation in tasks by digital intensity; (ii) within-job age disparities in digital upskilling; (iii) age inequalities in wage returns to digital job tasks; and (iv) the role of gender in this age segregation and inequalities. The analysis is based on data of Cedefop's second wave of the European Skills and Jobs Survey (ESJS2), conducted in 2021. First results of the analysis show that even when controlling for occupation-industry job pairs apart from using other explanatory variables, age segregation and gender gaps are prevalent in the case of digital skill intensity of tasks performed in the jobs of employees, though not in the case of digital upskilling via training measures. Applying the same appropriate controls, we also find that higher within-job digital skill intensity is associated with higher hourly wages. Gender wage gaps are sizable across all skill intensity categories in addition to widening in older age groups." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Lewandowski, Piotr & Wojciech Szymczak (2025): Automation, Trade Unions and Atypical Employment. In: Industrial Relations, S. 1-19. DOI:10.1111/irel.70017

Abstract

"We study the effect of automation technologies—industrial robots, software and databases—on the incidence of involuntary atypical employment in 13 EU countries between 2006 and 2018. Robots do not affect the total employment rate but significantly increase the involuntary atypical employment share, mainly through fixed-term work. Software and databases increase total employment and are neutral for atypical employment. Higher trade union density mitigates the robots' impact on atypical employment, while employment protection legislation plays no role. Using historical decompositions, we attribute 1–2 percentage points of a 15% average atypical employment share in our sample to automation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Logchies, Thomas, Tom Coupé & W. Robert Reed (2025): Do robots decrease humans’ wages? In: Applied Economics Letters, S. 1-5. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2025.2466748

Abstract

"While there are studies that show a positive or negative impact of robots on wages, a meta-analysis of 2,586 estimates from 52 studies in this paper finds that when one looks at the literature as a whole, there is no clear evidence of a sizable impact of robots on wages." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Lott, Yvonne & Andreas Hövermann (2025): Computer Use and Digital Frustration in German Workplaces: Is There a Gendered Part-Time Gap? In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 6, S. 1440-1462. DOI:10.1177/09500170251351265

Abstract

"The digital transformation may disproportionately disadvantage female part-time workers, as they are affected by the flexibility stigma and career penalties. In this article, we ask: Is there a gendered part-time gap in work-related computer use and digital frustration in Germany? Latent class analysis and multivariate analysis, based on data from Wave 12 (2019/20) of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) Starting Cohort 6 – Adults, showed that women – and part-time working women in particular – were less likely than men to be classified as ‘advanced users’. Furthermore, part-time working women felt least well prepared for using networked digital technologies at work and were thus more at risk of experiencing digital frustration. These findings suggest that the triadic association between technology, power and masculinity postulated by feminist technology theory should be extended to include full-time work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Lábaj, Martin, Tomáš Oleš & Gabriel Procházka (2025): Impact of robots and artificial intelligence on labor and skill demand: evidence from the UK. In: Eurasian business review, Jg. 15, H. 4, S. 953-1001. DOI:10.1007/s40821-025-00314-w

Abstract

"Over the past four decades, automation technologies have replaced routine tasks performed by medium-skilled workers, and contributed to increased labor market polarization. With the advent of artificial intelligence, this dynamic may have shifted, extending task substitution to non-routine tasks performed by high-skilled workers. Using textual analysis and descriptions of technology found in patent texts, we construct novel occupational exposures to robot and artificial intelligence technologies. These occupational exposures are then used to analyze changes in labor and skill demand over the last decade in the United Kingdom. We find that the middle part of the income distribution is primarily exposed to robot technology, while exposure to artificial intelligence increases monotonically across income percentiles. Second, we find that exposure to robots is strongest among high school dropouts and declines monotonically with education, while artificial intelligence automation has a limited impact on the same workers, with a pronounced exposure among college graduates. Third, our findings suggest asymmetric effects of automation technologies across skill groups. Robot automation reduces demand for low-skilled workers, while AI technology shifts demand away from high-skilled workers, with the direct effects consistently negative despite the presence of several compensating mechanisms. Fourth, despite significant effects on wage bill, we find no robust relationship between automation exposure and changes in the employment-to-population ratio. Finally, a joint estimation of the effects of robot and AI automation shows that robot automation is positively associated with an increase in demand for skilled workers, while AI automation is weakly associated with a decrease in demand for skilled workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Lühr, Thomas & Tobias Kämpf (2025): Bots im Büro. Künstliche Intelligenz und der Wandel von Angestelltenarbeit in der digitalen Transformation. (Hans-Böckler-Stiftung. Study 494), Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Düsseldorf, 98 S.

Abstract

"Mit der digitalen Transformation kommt es zu einem Schub in der Automatisierung von Arbeit. Die Einführung von Künstlicher Intelligenz führt zur grundlegenden Restrukturierung der Arbeitsinhalte und -prozesse im Büro. Damit gehen nicht nur Risiken von Funktionsverlusten bis hin zum Verlust des Arbeitsplatzes einher, sondern auch neue Machtpotenziale. Diese prägen das Bewusstsein der Angestellten wesentlich. Künstliche Intelligenz funktioniert nicht ohne Mitbestimmung - mit Mitbestimmung ergeben sich neue Ansatzpunkte für eine arbeitspolitische Vorwärtsstrategie. Die vorliegende Studie nimmt eine empirisch gestützte Analyse der Potenziale vor, die der Automatisierungsschub für die Beschäftigten und ihre Interessenvertretungen tatsächlich bietet." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)